BRIAN LITTLE was left with much food for thought after a Tranmere performance which highlighted their most thrilling capabilities - then, perversely, showed their most frustrating inadequacies.

BRIAN LITTLE was left with much food for thought after a Tranmere performance which highlighted their most thrilling capabilities - then, perversely, showed their most frustrating inadequacies.

Comfortably the better side in the opening half, they finished the game grateful for a point against a resurgent Bournemouth, who took a grip of the contest after the interval thanks to Rovers' loose passing.

But the Cherries had looked ripe for the picking from the outset as Little's men produced a convincing first-half performance rich in confidence and slick passing.

They carved out a string of good chances, starting with Danny Harrison's glancing header in the second minute that flashed the wrong side of the far post after Eugene Dadi had dispossessed Karl Broadhurst in the Bournemouth box and Gareth Roberts had crossed from the touchline.

Iain Hume saw two long-range drives pass inches over Neil Moss's crossbar and Roberts produced a fierce left-footer which was pushed onto the woodwork by the keeper.

A goal finally came just after the half-hour mark from a Roberts corner. A downward header from Dadi, looking to impress in Simon Haworth's absence, caused confusion in Bournemouth's six-yard box and Graham Allen reacted quickest to net his first of the season.

Tranmere deserved their lead, but the newly promoted visitors had still shown enough to explain their impressive position in the table.

Skipper Carl Fletcher glanced an early header just wide, then Warren Feeney miscued horribly with just John Achterberg to beat after a mixup between Allen and Tyrone Loran had put him clean through.

It should have served as a warning, for after the break Bournemouth looked a much more threatening unit. Tranmere still had their chances early on, though.

Dadi had a worthwhile shout for a penalty turned down after he had gone down under the close attentions of from Broadhurst and Moss.

Then Ryan Taylor, recalled in place of Sean Connelly who had become a father just hours before, had a vicious low free-kick turned past the post by Moss.

But as the half wore on the Cherries began to take a grip. They were aided by the home side's inability to retain possession, a result of too many passes going astray.

Young defender Paul Linwood continued his excellent form and cleared sharply from Carl Fletcher as he threatened in front of Achterberg's goal.

Then Stephen Purches saw a cross-shot flash across the six-yard box, before the Rovers keeper had to be out quick to save at the feet with James Hayter bursting into the box.

An equaliser appeared inevitable and it arrived inside the final 20 minutes. Feeney made up for his earlier howler by getting in behind Allen and lifting the ball over the advancing Achterberg. He almost gave the Cherries the lead two minutes later, shooting from a tight angle only to see his shot well blocked by the keeper.

In the dying minutes Ian Sharps made a welcome return after serious knee injury, but as a makeshift striker he had little time to have an effect.

The uninspired second-half display took the shine off what was Little's fourth league game without defeat.

Bourenmouth can testify to his initial aim of making Rovers a difficult side to beat, but Little knows his side cannot rely for much longer on opponents' slack finishing to keep it so.